2020 President’s Message
GWMSC Annual Meeting - Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020
Members' annual chance to receive the Master of Philately for free.
The Annual meeting of the GWMSC will be held on Sunday, February 23rd, 2020.
This may be a tipping point for the Club. Those of us loyal supporters must face the fact that stamp collecting and cover cachets are not attracting interest by younger members, and has lost older members in varied ways. The famous New York Masonic Stamp Club which help found our Club is no longer. Their wonderful magazine ceased to exist. Bob Domingue the Philatelic Masonry editor continues to publish a wonderful news letter informing the declining number of Masonic philatelist what is happening related to Masonic stamps around the world. Truly a hero trying to keep the interest alive. Yet in his Blue Friers talk a few years ago, he admitted there is no chance the interest and value of stamp collecting will recover.
Even the GWMSC, which once held as many as 7 meetings a year, are now only one meeting a year. Yes, we continue to offer the Degree of Philately, the last source for the degree. But can we continue without an increase in membership and leadership? It is a question which needs answering. With the exception of 2 years, I have been President since the early 1990’s. Once I was able to attract new members, but now am a laughing stock of Masons when I announce the Annual Meeting. We need new blood. We need a new President. I am therefore appealing to the members to either step up and find a new President, or ask the question: “Should the GWMSC close and our efforts be cancelled like the stamps on an envelope?” Most of our members, like me, are in our 70’s or more! Now is the time to ask the question about the continuance of the Club. That and the election of officers will be the focus of our meeting this year. If there are new members or old members who have not received the degree, the degree will be offered. There is no extra fee to receive the Master of Philately degree, although you must be a GWMSC life member.
The dinner talk will be based upon a longer talk given to multiple Masonic bodies. It is based upon some of the ideas in astrophysicist Lisa Randall’s Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs. Dr. Randall describes the fact dark matter and dark energy make up over 85% of our universe, or more. What was most interesting she cited a particular episode of the original Star Trek TV show called Wink of an Eye. Could this have implications to Masonry and our spiritual beliefs? This will be explored in the talk. It should be fun and will be given at Theismann’s after the meeting and before the separate-check dinners are served.
Please attend. The Club needs you most urgently.
Fraternally,
Walter Benesch, President
GWMSC
Fraternally,
Walter Benesch, President, GWMSC
Our Schedule:
The Club now meets once a year; In February.
At our Annual Meeting in February we confir the Master of Philately Degree on awaiting candidates.
Our Semi-Annual Meetings in September have been called off at this time.